Family outraged over low bond set in Woodlands woman's death

Published 6:00 pm, Sunday, January 7, 2001

Doherty said she is outraged that the suspect Richard Mims, 50, was released on only a $20,000 bond.

By Catherine Self

Erin Doherty wants justice for her mother who was gunned down at the family's washateria Tuesday morning in Houston.

Doherty said she is outraged that the suspect Richard Mims, 50, was released on only a $20,000 bond.

"It's unreal," Doherty said. "I can't believe it's that low. If it had been anyone else, I think it would have been higher."

Mims, the brother of Houston Councilwoman Carol Mims Galloway, is charged with the shooting death of Julie Early, 48. Early along with two other family members owned the laundromat in the 5600 block of Cavalcade.

"He was upset because he spend $40,000 renovating the place," Doherty said.

Mims was apparently trying to get a loan to purchase the business, Doherty said, but when he was unable to get a loan, Early told him she would find someone else to purchase the building.

"He tried to sue my mother but he couldn't get an attorney to take the case," she said.

Doherty said her mother picked her up at the airport earlier that day and took her to her home in Oak Ridge. She said her mother then left to go to the washateria to collect a rent check.

"(Early and Mims) went into the office and people heard some sort of argument and heard her yell for help," Doherty said. "Then they heard four gunshots. My mother ran out of the office, through the washateria, made it outside and collapsed."

Witnesses said Mims followed Early.

"He followed her with the gun in his hand, looked at her, put the gun in his briefcase, got in his truck and drove away," Doherty said.

Doherty said she thinks because Mims is a relative of a councilman, the bond was set low.

In several Montgomery County murder cases, the suspects have been jailed on bonds set at at least $100,000.

Ontario Carvon Williams, 21, was charged with murder after he shot and killed Ibn-Yasin Selik Joseph, 25,. Williams bond was set at $150,000.

Russell Wayne Lafleur, 20, and Lonnie Rayallen LaBonte, 23, were both charged with murder for the deaths of Misty Morgan and Sarah Cleary.